1. A Manufacturing System External Disturbances INPUTSINPUTS Internal Disturbances OUTPUTSOUTPUTS Customer Physical Objects Measurable Parameters Machine Tools Production Rate Tools Cycle Times Matl. Handling Equipment Defects per Million People Unit Cost OPERATIONS Raw Materials Socio-Political Environment Information Demand Energy Suppliers Products Service Information Profit

2. What is a Manufacturing System? “A ROI-oriented, highly interactive network of processes through which materials and information flow.” Adapted from Hopp and Spearman Factory Physics

3. What is a Manufacturing System? The arrangement and operation of machines, tools, people, suppliers, material and information to produce a value- added product, whose success and cost are characterized by measurable parameters.

4. Why are Mfg Systems so hard to manage? Interactions Time lags Non-linearities People Conflicting goals Short-term vs Long- term benefits Effect of uncontrollable external forces Must interface with design & suppliers CLASSIC SYSTEMS BEHAVIOR ! A COMPLEX, TIGHTLY COUPLED NETWORK